Title: The Authority of the New Believer
Scripture Reading: Ephesian 6:12, Luke 10:17-19
‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’
‘The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.’
- Definition of Authority
Let us first of all define the difference between ‘authority’ and ‘power’.
The traffic officer had very little ‘power.’ But he had something far better. He was invested with the ‘authority’ of the government of the Philippines or the Mayor of Iloilo City.
The principalities, the powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness, the powers of the enemy have one thing in common: they have power. They are not humans; they are not flesh and blood. They are from the high places. They have power. But we have authority.
NASB –‘our struggle is not.’
NKJV – ‘we do not wrestle.’
TEV – ‘we are not fighting against.’
NJB – ‘we have to struggle.’
Peshitta – ‘our conflict is not only with.’
Ephesians 6:12 is a present tense verb which implies an ongoing struggle, not a one-time temptation.
The Christian life is a supernatural gift lived out by repentance and faith, as is your salvation. This supernatural gift that is given to you is authority.
Luke 10:19 says, ‘I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.’
It seems best to interpret Jesus’ words as referring to spiritual powers of evil, taking the serpent and scorpion as symbols of these evil. It was a sign that the power and authority of God in Christ had been effectively delegated to His followers.
When Jesus said, ‘Behold, I give you the authority,’ it simply means Satan was fallen and the disciples of Jesus today are messengers of Jesus and His Kingdom; therefore, they enjoyed the superior power of God over Satan.
- Source of Authority
Where is the source of the Believer’s Authority? We have learned the definition of Authority. Studying this definition closely, we realize it is a delegated authority.
The source of authority of the Christian believer (again I speak to you new ones) is also delegated to him.
This delegated authority is even over circumstances which we frequently experienced in life.
When our LORD Jesus, the captain of our salvation was raised from the dead, that act of resurrection was accomplished by the exceeding greatness of His power (God’s power).
The bible tells us that Jesus went down to hell between his death and resurrection. 1 Peter 4:6 said that ‘good tidings were proclaimed to the dead.’
Ephesians 4:9 states that Christ ‘descended into the lower parts of the earth,’ to support this interpretation.
Luke 10:19, ‘Behold, I give you power over all the power of the enemy’. In this one verse, the word ‘power’ is mentioned twice. But in the Greek word it has two meanings, one is authority, the other is power. So, it should be read like this. ‘Behold I give you authority over all the power of the enemy.’
This delegated authority has power even over death.
So, the authority of the believer is delegated power. We are made to sit with Christ in the heavenlies. Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. His people occupy with him the same position. This honor is not given to a chosen few. But it is the portion all those who share in the resurrection of the Son of God.
This delegated authority has power even to affect the human body.
- The power of the Devil
‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’
The kings of this world are under the control and leadership of Satanic principalities.
The masses of mankind are rebels and will deny Christ; therefore, the devil’s rule over them is unquestioned and unsuspected. They are blinded by his dominance. Look at this world; it is a whole rebellious system.
I feel that many Christians fail to see the rulers of the darkness of this age.
- Exercise authority as a child of God
First, we must know our position as a child of God. We have authority over all the activities of the devil. He cannot do anything if we refuse to allow him.
You have to fight for every possession that God intends for you.
What are our weapons?
A. The Word of God
Digest the word of God and understand the significance of the verse you read.
Matthew 18:18 says, Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’
When I bind the evil spirit, I am actually taking a supernatural chain, and tied and bound that evil spirit and prevent him from carrying out his activity over your lives and over the lives of the people in this church.
The words, ‘bind and loose,’ might alternatively be rendered ‘forbid’ and ‘permit’. They are both rabbinical terms for legal decisions about how the Law should be applied to a current situation.
B. The blood of Jesus
There is power in the blood. If you know the Old Testament, the priests were told not to let one drop of the blood for the sacrifice that they brought to God, drop to the ground. They are commanded to catch it because the blood was precious.
During the time of Moses, God told every Israelites to sprinkle the blood upon the doorpost. Every member, animals, staying inside the house are protected from the angel of death.
C. The Name of Jesus
Luke 10:17 ‘When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”
These 72 disciples gave their frank confession of surprise at their powers. As new believer, we have become custodians of a power so marvelous. The explanation given by the seventy was an account of exorcisms.
- Obedience in the lives of believers
Revelation 12:11 says, ‘And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die’. Satan is cast out of heaven yet he still accuses the faithful before God. His power is broken, but he is still active.’ The life story of Job is a good example of he accusing us day and night. But Job was victorious because of His testimony.
